Senator Andy Berke announced today that he will not seek re-election to the State Senate District 10 seat he has held since 2007. He has not announced his future political plans, but there is much speculation that he may run in the Chattanooga mayoral race. Chattanoogan.com has more.

For more than 30 years, Capitol Hill insiders have relied upon a booklet published by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association to provide a quick and easy reference to who is who in the General Assembly. Now you can get the information on your iPhone -- and soon your iPad and Droid, too. It’s available at iTunes for $4.99.

The same coalition of businesspeople that helped sell the governor’s tort reform package, which became the Tennessee Civil Justice Act of 2011, this year wants more limitations imposed in civil lawsuits, including a handful of bills targeting the losing side in civil cases and litigants who refuse to settle lawsuits.

One bill would require a party who loses a motion to dismiss to pay the litigation costs of the opposing party. Read more in the Tennessean.